Release Notes

OpenHaldex v0.9.0-beta

This release starts a formal versioned release-notes flow. It introduces structured release pages, per-version installer manifests, and a user-facing release hub for firmware selection.

Release metadata

Field	Value
Version	v0.9.0-beta
Channel	Beta
Target hardware	LilyGO T-2CAN ESP32-S3
Primary install path	ESP Web Tools installer
Repository	github.com/meatro/openhaldex-s3

Highlights in this release

Introduces a dedicated release section under docs (`docs/release/*`).
Adds per-version release notes starting with `v0.9.0-beta`.
Adds an ESP Web Tools installer page and version manifest mapping.
Establishes versioned firmware folder layout for `bootloader/partitions/firmware/littlefs` artifacts.
Creates a legacy changelog archive page to preserve pre-versioned notes from root README.

This release is also a process milestone: it shifts OpenHaldex documentation from a single rolling changelog model into a version-addressable release model that supports safer user flashing choices.

What changed in packaging

The previous pattern relied on rolling notes in root documentation and ad-hoc asset discovery. Starting with `v0.9.0-beta`, every version should publish a predictable artifact set and a corresponding manifest.

release/
  firmware/
    v0.9.0-beta/
      bootloader.bin
      partitions.bin
      firmware.bin
      littlefs.bin
      checksums.txt
  manifests/
    v0.9.0-beta.json

The installer references this manifest so users can flash that exact version without manually entering offsets.

ESP Web Tools mapping for v0.9.0-beta

The manifest for this release targets the ESP32-S3 flash layout currently defined in `partitions.csv`. Expected offsets:

bootloader.bin at 0x0000
partitions.bin at 0x8000
firmware.bin at 0x10000
littlefs.bin at 0x790000

If partition layout changes in future releases, manifests must be version-specific and not reused blindly.

Install and upgrade guidance

Read this page and confirm you want `v0.9.0-beta` specifically.
Open the web installer and select this release.
Flash all required parts (`bootloader`, `partitions`, `firmware`, `littlefs`) as defined in manifest.
Power-cycle device and open UI (`openhaldex.local` or AP fallback IP).
Validate setup mapping and diagnostics before tuning changes.
Run conservative validation drive before aggressive profiles.

Known risks and beta notes

This is a beta-tagged release. Treat as test-first in controlled environments.
Users should always keep a known-good prior version available for rollback.
Manifest and binary naming are now part of release contract; do not rename ad-hoc files.
If flashing errors occur, verify USB cable quality, browser serial permissions, and correct board family.

Operational best practice: capture diagnostics and log output immediately after install, before applying new maps or dynamic mode changes. This helps isolate release-related issues from tune-related issues.

Rollback strategy

If `v0.9.0-beta` does not behave as expected in your vehicle context, rollback should follow the same versioned installer process:

Choose prior release from release hub.
Flash full matching asset set for that version.
Load known-good map and verify base telemetry.
Retest issue to confirm whether it is release-specific.

Support references for this version

Try the OpenHaldex Firmware Demo

Preview the real OpenHaldex firmware UI in your browser with simulated live CAN traffic and interactive pages for tuning, diagnostics, logs, setup, and OTA workflows.

Open firmware demo